Starting barrier



June 29, 1943.

MI/Imam! 5 2' R. M. HlTE STARTING BARRIER F iled Jan. 27, 1941 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. P0554 7 17-5,

/7rro ewfrs.

Patented June 29, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STARTINGjBARRIERRobert M. Hite, Indianapolis, Ind. Application January 27, 1941, serialNo. 376,157 11 Claims. (01. 11 i-.5)

In harness racing, it has been proposed to start the horses fromimmediately in rear of abarrier which, at the instant the race isintended to start, is quickly raised to an elevation high enough toclear the horses. In such a sys tem, itis customary to warn of theimpending rise of the barrier by the giving of a series of audiblesignals at one-second intervals, and to raise the barrier simultaneouslywith the enunciationof a go signal following the last of the series ofstarting signals. If a horse breaks through the barrier before it israised, the driver is penalized, usually bydisqualification; but if ashort enough interval of time intervenes between a premature breakingthrough and the rise of the barrier, or if the ofiicials are not sufiiciently observant, an offending driver may not be detected.

It is the object of my invention to produce a race starting device whichwill insure fairness to all contestants, which will eliminate the humanfactor, and which will remove the possibility of a premature startwithout detection. More specifically, it it my object to produce an automatic device which will automatically reproduce the desired number ofwarning signals and the go signal at the desired intervals, which willautomatically raise the barrier at the instant the go signal is given,and which will automati cally detect any' false or premature Starts.

In carrying outmy invention in its preferred form, I provide a barrierwhich is biased for upward movement and I hold this barrier in depressedor operative position by a suitable latch. For the purpose ofreproducing the warning and fgo signals I employ sound-reproducingmechanism which is operatively' connected in timed relation to saidlatch so as to release it at the ins'tant the go signal is enunciated.Adjacent the barrier I provide a photosensitive apparatus controlled bya beam of light projected across the track and adapted, if thelight beamis interrupted by a horse prematurely breaking through the barrier, toactuate a recall signal and to render the sound-reproducing apparatusinoperative to reproduce further signals.

The accompaying drawings illustrate my in vention: Figs. 1 and 2 arerear and front elevations respectively of a casing within which parts ofmy apparatus are enclosed; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the barrier;Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmental elevations on an enlarged scale showingdetails of the barrier-release latch arid its op s-- ating mechanism;Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6'-6 d: Fig; 4; and Fig; 7 is a wiringdiagram 11'- lustrating electrical connections. The barrier employed incarrying'out myin vention may take any desired form. barrier ofconventional form is illustrated in Fig; 3 and comprises a pair of postsIll installed as opposite sides of the track and a pair of verticallyspaced pulleys ll and L2 mounted on each of such posts, An endless beltor similar element I3 of flexible material is assed about each pair ofpulleys ll l2, and secured to oorrspond ing stretches (shown asleft=hand stretches) oi the element [3 is a cable [4 which extendsacross the track and from which a plurality of shorter ropes l5arefsuspended. The pillleys H and I? are so located that by theirrotation the cable 14 can be inoved vertically between a position inwhich the ropes l5 hang in front of horses lined up behind the barrierand a position in which the ropes H) are high enough to clear the ndrssspassing through the barrier. To interconnect the we pair'sof pulleys andI2 s s as to insure that both ends or the barrier win rise at the samerate, each upper pulley II has rigid it a drum is. A rope or cable 11has ode iid secured to one of the'rurns 16 (the right hand drum as shownin Fig. 3) and, after bein 1 wrapped several times around that drum,tends across the track to other l6 ab which it is also wrapped forsevrar turns. '1 extreme end of the cablell hangs downwardy from theleft=hand drum l6 and has attached toman eye l8, the purpose of whichwill hereinafter become apparent. Secured to one of the flexibleelements l3 at a point spaced appr mate half the developed length ofthe" element from thepoint of its connection to the cable IE is a Weight19 01? adequate size to maintain the barrier raised in the positionshown in Fig. 3. To depress the barrier and to holdit depressed untilthe race started, the end of the cable Il bear: ing the eye l8is pulleddownwardly. The re:

sultan't movement of the cable ll rotates the two drums l6 and with themthe pulleys II, in do responding directions; and causes the flexibleelements l3 to move to lower the barrier an?! raise the weight 19. Uponrelease of the cable 1, the weight l9 falls and causes the barrier .tdrise.

v The automatic mechanism which I employ rs'r' artin ther'adeedm'pr'isss" a casing 25 widen" is suitably mounted, desirably onone of the posts It, adjacent the eye 18 when the latter is in itslowermost position. Conveniently, and as illustrated in the drawings,the casing 25 contains a vertical panel 26 dividing it intermediately.At one side of the panel 26, the top wall of the easing 25 is providedwith an opening 21 for the reception of the shank 28 of the eye l8; andbeneath the opening 21 there is mounted a bolt 29 horizontally slidablein a support 29' and adapted to enter an opening in the shank 28 of theeye l8 and to hold the eye in lowered position against the pull exertedupon it by tension in the cable [1. In order to minimize friction thebolt 29 may be guided into and out of association with the shank 28 byguide rollers 36 suitably supported above and below the bolt from thecasing 25 and the shank may be provided with a roller 28 positioned toengage the lower surface of the bolt 29.

The bolt 29 is operatively connected to the vertically extending arm ofa bell crank 32 which is pivoted to the partition 26 in any suitablemanner. The horizontally extending arm of the bell crank 32 carries acam-following roller 33 which co-operates with a cam 34 on a shaft 35rotatablysupported from and extendingthrough the partition 26. A spring31 acting on the bell crank 32 biases the bolt 29 toward engagement withthe eye-shank 28, and the cam 34 is arranged to move the bell crank 32and momentarily retract the bolt 29 against the influenc of the spring31 at a predetermined point in the rotation of the shaft 35.

The sound-reproducing mechanism which is to be employed in the practiceof my invention may take any desired form. The form shown in thedrawingsemploys a recording in the form of a flexible film 40 hearing a soundtrack, provided with the usual edge perforations for cooperation with adriving means, and arranged to move through a gate 46 in co -operativerelation with and between a light-source 4| and a photo-electric cell42-. The film 46 is endless and is of a length such that a completecycle of its movement requires an interval somewhat longer than thatrequired to enunciate the series of warning and go signals. To supportthis length of film within the confines of the casinga plurality ofrotatable idlers 44 are employed, such idlers being mountedon thepartition 25. "Some of the idlers may be adjustablymounted 'to take upslack. In order to relieve excessive tension in the film, it isdesirably driven at a plurality of points in its length. As shown, thefilm passes over three driving sprockets 46, 41, and 48 mountedrespectively upon shafts 46, 41', and 48' which project through thepartition 26. Each of the sprockets has associated with it a pair ofspringpressed rollers 56 which hold the film in engagement'with theteeth of the sprocket.

For the purpose of driving the film 40 and the cam 34, there is mountedwithin the housing 25 an electric motor 55 operatively connected throughsuitable gearing to the shafts 46, 4.1, 48', and 35. This gearing. is soarranged that the film-driving sprockets 46, 41, and 48 will all rotatein the proper direction at the same speed and so that the shaft 35 willmake one complete revolution as the film 40 is passing through onecomplete cycle of its movement.

The photo-electric cell 42 is connected to the input side of anamplifier 66 which is in turn connected to one or more loud speakers 6|(see Fig. '1), such speakers being located wherever desired. Itwill beunderstood, of course, that the film 40 will bear a sound track capableof causing the mechanism including the, photoelectric cell 42, theamplifier 66, and the loud speaker or speakers 6| to reproduce audiblythe series of warning signals and the go signal. The sound trackpreferably causes the soundreproducing system to enunciate the numbersfrom 1 to "14 at one-second intervals and, at the conclusion of the 15thsecond, to enunciate the word go. The film 46 is so positioned upon thesprockets and idlers which support it that at the instant the word go isenunciated the cam 34 actuates the bell crank 32 to retract the bolt 29,thus releasing the eye l8 and permitting the weight I9 to raise thebarrier in the manner above set forth.

In order to prevent accidental or unauthorized release of the bolt 29and consequent raising of the barrier, the bolt is desirably arranged sothat it can not be retracted from without the casing 25. To facilitateinsertion of the shank 23 of the eye I8, I may employ a follower 10which is mounted for vertical sliding movement in a suitable guideway inthe support 29' in line with the eye-shank 28, as will be clear fromFig. 4. The follower 10 is biased upwardly, as by means of a spring 1|,its upward movement under the influence of the spring being limited,conveniently by providing it with a flange 12 engageable with the lowersurface of the support 29. When the eye-shank 28 is in the positionillustrated in Fig. 4 and held in such position by the bolt 29, thefollower 16 is held depressed against the action of the spring 1| byreason of its engagement with the lower end of the eye-shank; but whenthe bolt 29 is retracted and the eye-shank withdrawn due to raising ofthe barrier, the follower 10 moves upwardly closely behind the roller28' into the position illustrated in Fig. 5, in which position itoverlaps the end of the bolt 29 and retains it in retracted position.When the device is to be reset, the eye-shank 28 is inserted through theopening 21 and forced downwardly, thus restoring the follower 16 to theposition shown in Fig. 4 and permitting the bolt 29 to enter the openingin the eye-shank above the roller 28.

For the purpose of controlling operation of the motor 55, thecurrent-supply wires therefor include a push-button 13 and, connected inparallel with said push-button, a pair of normally separated contacts 14and 15. The contacts 14 and 15 are. mounted in co-operative relationshipwith a cam 16 rotatable with the shaft 35, andsuch cam is so shapedthat, at one point in its revolution, it permits separation of thecontacts 14 and 15 while at other points it maintains those contacts inengagement with each other. To start the device in operation, thepush-button 13 is depressed to complete the electrical circuit includingthe motor and is maintained depressed until the cam 16 has rotated farenough to cause engagement of the contacts 14 and 15 whereupon thepush-button is released. By reason of the engaging of the contacts 14and 15 the motor 55 continues to operate until the shaft 35 has made acomplete revolution, whereupon the cam 16 allows the contacts 14 and 15to separate, thus interrupting the supply of current to the motor, andstopping the device.

Because of this automaticstopping, the various movable parts of thedevice always come to rest in substantially the same positions.Obviously, it is necessary that the cam 16 be so arranged as to causethe device to continue in operation until the go signal has been givenand the latch-bolt 29 released; and it is desirable that operation ofthe device be continued for a subsequent interval in order to permit thelobe of the cam 34 to move out of engagement with the cam-follower 33,or into the position indicated in full-lines in Fig. 5, and therebycondition the device for reinsertion of the eye-shank 28. The lineardistance between the go signal and th initial warning signal on thesound track of the film 40 is sufficient to prevent reproduction of theinitial warn ing signal before the devices come to rest followingseparation of the contacts 14 and 15.

The photo-sensitive device which is employed to detect false startscomprises a photo-electric cell 80, or an equivalent light-sensitivedevice, adapted to receive a beam of light projected across thebarrier-opening from a light-source 81 at a height to be interrupted bya horse breaking through the barrier. Desirably, the lamp 8| and thephoto-electric cell 80 are located on the same side of the track, thelight-source emitting a beam of light which is projected across thetrack in one direction and reflected by a mirror 82 into thephoto-electric cell 89. The photoelectric cell 80, desirably through themedium of an amplifier 83, controls the energization of a relay 84. Thearmature of the relay 84 is in the form of a bridge contact adapted,when the relay is energized, to establish an electrical connectionbetween a pair of fixed contacts and, when deenergized, to establish anelectrical connection between a second pair of fixed contacts 85. Theswitch formed by the relay-armature and fixed contacts 85 is connectedbetween the photo-electric cell 42 and the speaker or speakers 6!, orotherwise arranged, so that when the relay 84 is de-energized and thearmature out of engagement with the contacts 85 the speaker or speakers6| will be silent irrespective of the action of the photo-electric cell42.

.Associated with the cam l6 are a second pair of normally open contacts81 adapted to be closed by the cam 16 at substantially the same time thecontacts 14 and 15 are closed. The switch formed by the relay armatureand the two contacts 86 is connected in series with the switch formed bythe two contacts 81 between the current-source and a recall signal shownas an electric bell 88.

If it should be desired, in the event of a false start, to preventrelease of the barrier, I may provid the device with means forpreventing release of the eye 18 when the lobe of the cam 34 passesunder the cam-follower 33 on the bellcrank 32. As shown, this meanstakes the form of an auxiliary latch bolt 90 which is mounted beside themain latch bolt 29 and movable into and out of association with theeye-shank 2B. The latch bolt 90 is ordinarily retracted, as indicated inFig. 4, and is adapted to be advanced into co-operative association withthe eye-shank 28 as by a solenoid 9| which is arranged, as will be clearfrom Fig. 7, to be energized jointly with the recall signal 88.Conveniently, the latch bolt 90 is connected to the core of the solenoid9| by a pivoted lever 92 associated with which there is a spring 93acting normally to maintain the latch bolt in retracted position. For apurpose which will hereinafter become apparent, there is also associatedwith the lever 92 a dash-pot 94 arranged to defer return of the latchbolt 90 to retracted position after it has been advanced by energizationof the solenoid 9|.

After the device has been used to start a race, the cam 34, bell crank32, latch bolt 29, and follower 12 will be in the respective positionillus-.

trated infull lines in Fig. 5, the cam 16 will be in the positionillustrated in Figs. 2 and 7, the contacts 14 and 15 will be separatedas will also the contacts 81, and that portion of the film 40intervening between the go signal and th first of the Warning signalswill be disposed in the gate 40' between the lamp 4| and thephoto-electric cell 43. When it is desired to start a subsequent race,the barrier is lowered by manipulation of the cable I! and the shank 28of the eye I8 is inserted through the opening 21 in the top of thecasing 25 to depress the follower l2 and to permit the latch bolt 29 toadvance into latching position above the roller 28', as indicated inFig. 4. When the race is ready to start, the push button 13 isdepressed, thus causing the motor 55 to operate to move the film 40 andto rotate the cam 34 and 16, the push button 13 being held depresseduntil the cam 16 is rotated sufficiently far to close the contacts 14and 15. Thereafter, the push button 13 may be released, the supply ofcurrent to the motor 55 being maintained through the closed contacts 14and 15 until a complete revolution of the shaft 35 and a complete cycleof movement of the film 4D has occurred. As the film passes through thegate 40' the warning signals and the starting signal are successivelyreproduced by the speaker or speake ers 6|; and simultaneously with theenunciation of the starting signal the cam 34 raises the cam follower 33and causes the bell crank 32 to retract the bolt 29, thereby releasingthe barrier and starting the race.

In the event a horse breaks through the barrier before it is raised, thelight beam from the lamp 8| will be interrupted, thus causing thephotoelectric cell which receives that light beam to de-energize therelay 84. De-energization of the relay 84 breaks the connection betweenthe two contacts 85 and establishes a connection between the twocontacts 85. Breaking of the former connection renders the speakers 6|inoperative to produce any further warning signals, while theestablishment. of the latter connection causes operation of the recallsignal 88 and indicates to the officials and spectators that a falsestart has occurred. The operation of the recall signal continues until,in the rotation of the cam 16, the supply of current to it is in- Vterruptecl by separation of the contacts 81.

It is desirable that separation of the contacts 81 should occursubstantially simultaneously with the release of the barrier. If theyseparate before the barrier is released, an interval would be providedwithin which a horse could prematurely break through the barrier withoutcausing the recall signal to sound. On the other hand, if the contacts81 are not separated until after the barrier is released the recallsignal might sound even if the first horse interrupting the light-beamfrom the lamp 8! had started after the barrier was raised. The contacts14 and 75, however, should remain in engagement until after the barrieris released in order, as pointed out above, that the lobe of the cam 34may be carried past the follower 33 before the device comes to rest. Tosecure this sequence of contact-separation in the arrangementillustrated, where the contacts 81 are controlled through the contacts14 and 75, the trailing edge of the lobe of the cam 16 may be relievedas indicated at. 16', uch relief being suiiicient radially to produceseparation of the contacts 81 at the instant of barrier-release, butinsufficient 'to cause separation of the contacts M and 15.

If a false start has caused de-energization of the relay 84 duringvoperation of the device, the retraction of the latch bolt 29 whichoccurs as the cam 34 raises the cam follower 33 does'not cause releaseof the eye 18 and consequent raising of the barrier; because,simultaneouslywith the actuation of the recall signal, the solenoid 9|is energized to advance the auxiliary latch bolt 98 into latchingrelation with the eye-shank 28. It will be noted from Fig. '7 that thesupply of current to the solenoid 9! is affected by the condition of thecontacts 81, which as pointed out above, must separate (and thereforedeenergize the solenoid 5|) not later than the instant at which the cam34 retracts the latch bolt 29. In order to accomplish its purpose,however, the auxiliary bolt 90 must remain in engagement with theeye-shank 28 until the main bolt 29 is again advanced following itsretraction by the cam 34. Therefore, it is necessary to retardretraction of the auxiliary latch bolt 90 upon de-energization of thesolenoid 9!. It is for this purpose that the dash-pot 9:2 is provided,such dash-pot acting to delay retraction of the latch bolt 90 for aninterval long enough to permit the retraction and subsequent advance ofthe main latch bolt 29 as the lobe of the cam 34 passes beneath andbeyond the cam follower 33.

In order to facilitate movement of the auxiliary latch bolt 90, itslower surface is desirably relieved as indicated at 9? in Figs. 4 and 6,so that when the main latch bolt 29 is in engagement with the roller 28on the eye-shank 28 the auxiliary latch bolt can be advanced withoutengaging the roller 28 or anything else which might impede its movement.As a result of this relief, the eye IE will rise slightly if the mainlatch bolt 29 is retracted when the auxiliary latch bolt is advanced;and accordingly the lower corner of the main latch bolt is beveled asindicated at 93 in Figs. 4 and 6 in order to force the roller 28downwardly out of engagement with the relieved lower surface 91 of theauxiliary latch bolt as the main latch bolt is advanced.

The relay 84 is a time-delay arranged so that movement of the armatureaway from the contacts 86 when the relay is energized is retarded. Theretardation effected should be at least equal to the interval requiredfor a complete rotation of the shaft 35 and a complete cycle of movementof the film 40. In consequence, if the light beam from the lamp 8| isonce interrupted, even momentarily, the connection between the relaycontacts 86 will not be broken and the connection between the contacts85 will not be reestablished until after the device has completed itscycle of movement and come to rest. As a result, even a momentaryinterruption of the light beam from the lamp 8| will render the recallsignal operative and the speakers 61 inoperative for the balance of theduration of the cycle of operation of the starting device, and willprevent release of the barrier.

The peaker 6! may vary in number and location as desired. By way ofexample, I have shown two, mounted respectively on the posts H1. Thebell 88 is conveniently mounted on the side of the casing 25, but may bemounted elsewhere if desired. The lamp 8! and photo-electric cell 80,the latter in a suitable housing, are shown as mounted on one of theposts I!) independently of the casing 25, but this is not essential.Other parts of the apparatus, such as are illustrated onlydiagrammatically in Fig. '7 may be mounted within the casing 25 which isdesirably provided with covers (not shown) for its open sides I claim asmy invention:

1. A device for starting a horse race, comprising a barrier,sound-reproducing mechanism adapted to reproduce successively apredetermined number of audible warning signals, and means for openingsaid barrier, said means operating automatically in timed relation withsaid sound reproducing mechanism to open said barrier after a,predetermined number of warning signals have been reproduced.

2. A device for starting a horse race, comprising a barrier,sound-reproducing mechanism adapted to reproduce successively apredetermined number of audible warning signals, means for biasing saidbarrier for opening movement, a latch for retaining said barrier closed,and a latch-releasing means operating in timed relation with saidsound-reproducing mechanism to release said latch after a predeterminednumber of warning signals have been reproduced.

3. The invention set forth in claim 2 with the addition of a casingenclosing said latch, said latch being inaccessible for release fromwithout said casing.

4. A device for starting horse-races, comprising a sound-reproducingmechanism including a movable sound recording adapted as it movesthrough a complete cycle of movement, to cause said sound-reproducingmechanism to reproduce a predetermined number of audible warning signalsat predetermined intervals, a barrier, means for moving said recordingthrough a cycle of movement, and a device operated under the control ofsaid recording-moving means for opening said barrier following thereproduction of the last of said warning signals and prior to thecompletion of a cycle of movement of said soundrecording,

5. The invention set forth in claim 4 with the addition of provisionsfor automatically stopping said recording-moving means upon thecompletion of a cycle of a movement of saidsoundrecording.

6. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition of means forprojecting a light-beam across said barrier, a light-responsive devicecontrolled by said light-beam, and mechanism controlled by saidlight-responsive device upon an interruption of said light beam forrendering said sound reproducing mechanism inoperative to reproducefurther warning signals.

7. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition of means forprojecting a light-beam across said barrier, a light-responsive devicecon.-' trolled by said light-beam, and mechanism controlled .by saidlight-responsive device upon an interruption of said light beam forpreventing opening of said barrier.

8. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition of means forprojecting a light-beam across said barrier, a light-responsive devicecon trolled by said light-beam, and a recall signal rendered operativeby said light-responsive de vice upon an interruption of said lightbeam.

9. The invention set forth in claim 1 with the addition of means forprojecting a light-beam across said barrier, a light-responsive devicecontrolled by said light-beam, and mechanism controlled by saidlight-responsive device upon an interruption of said light beam forrendering said sound reproducing mechanism inoperative to reproducefurther warning signals, and a recall signal rendered operative by saidlight-responsive device upon an interruption of said light beam.

10. The invention set forth in claim 4 with the addition of provisionsfor automatically stopping said recording-moving means upon thecompletion of a cycle of movement of said soundrecording, means forprojecting a light-beam across said barrier, a light-responsive devicecontrolled by said light beam, a. recall signal controlled by saidlight-responsive device, and means operated by said recording-movingmeans for rendering said recall signal inoperative upon release of saidbarrier.

11. A device for starting a horse race, comprising a barrier, means foropening said barrier, timing mechanism controlling said barrier-openingmeans to cause opening of the barrier at a predetermined time, means forprojecting a light beam across said barrier, and light-responsivemechanism controlled by said light beam and acting if said light beam isinterrupted during operation of said timing mechanism for preventingopening of said barrier.

ROBERT M. HITE.

